ABOUT

Shehu Belo

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Shehu grew up in a heavy cultural-led Nigerian home, and the gele was always something he saw whenever there was a celebration, joy and happiness.

Shehu says that he really didn’t think too much into it, it just felt right to showcase it. "I love that beautiful part of my culture; I see elegance, regal, stature, beauty, culture, when it is worn.''

​The headpiece you see worn in all my paintings is called a gele, it probably Nigeria's version of a fascinators.

In his former years, Shehu excelled creatively in art, and though Shehu produced no coursework leading to his final GCSE exam, he was awarded an A star for for his final piece.

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​He has never had any formal training of any kind, he is self thought.

In his own words Shehu says "I just draw what I see, and adjust until I'm happy with it" He is a natural all round artist and creates because, it is who he is.

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​Shehu is inspired by all type of artists in general, If you create something and he’s drawn to it, then he’ll deep dive into it.

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He draw from many forms but primarily Realism, Abstract, Pop art and Surrealism. He tries to incorporate all these forms in his pieces and would describe his work as collaboratism.

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Shehu’s preferred medium is acrylic, he feels like it allows him to have control of what he’s doing, but it is also what he doesn’t like about it, in the same breath he feels restricted because beauty can apear out of accidentals.

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Shehu is very much drawn to oils paints, he believes it would probably be much more difficult to control, and may even spring up exciting surprises throughout a process.  Oil paints is a medium Shehu definitely will be creating with at some point in the future.

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His pieces are figurative centered, surrounded by the majority of the styles mentioned previously.

​As it stands Shehu Belo is in the process of creating a cohesive line of art work to exhibit.  His works will incorporate the styles he is most inspired by but very much delivered in his own way, it will feature his culture and that which he feels are the most innocent, precious and unbelievably joyful in this world.